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UCLA Community School

University partnership provides quality education in high-need area
Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles County

UCLA Community School is an innovative pilot school partnership committed to providing high-quality education in one of the most underserved neighborhoods in the city of Los Angeles. This elementary school opened its doors to 360 children in grades K-5 on September 9, 2009, and expects to have 800 students in grades K-12 next fall.

This neighborhood school is one of six pilot schools located at the new LAUSD Ambassador Schools Complex on Wilshire Boulevard in Central Los Angeles. UCLA Community School serves students from Wilshire Center/Koreatown, Pico-Union, and neighboring communities, which together constitute one of the state's more densely populated areas. The school-age population is predominantly Latino (91 percent) and low-income (89 percent), with about half classified as English-language learners.

The UCLA Community School represents a partnership between LAUSD, the second largest school district in the nation; UCLA, one of the leading research universities in the nation; and the Belmont Education Collaborative, a powerful coalition of more than 40 community-based and educational organizations. Led by the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, UCLA experts helped to develop UCLA Community School's instructional programs and train teachers.

As integral members of the school, parents and community members also played an important role in shaping the instructional program, which draws on extensive research by UCLA and other scholars about how students learn best. Learning is personalized for each student to ensure and document academic, social, and emotional growth over a student’s school career. Students have personalized learning plans that build on their interests and needs and support them as active learners in a variety of experiences. As part of a university-assisted school program, these learning experiences include opportunities to engage with UCLA faculty, staff, and students, including on-campus field trips.

To promote trusting relationships, students learn together in multi-grade level "dens," with the same teacher for two years. All teachers are fluent in English and either Spanish or Korean, and several are fluent in all three languages. Instruction is dual-language immersion.

"UCLA Community School combines the resources of the nation's second-largest school district and a top university and harnesses the energy of motivated community groups to help deliver a high-quality education—something every child deserves," LAUSD Superintendent Ramon C. Cortines said. "I'm proud of our work together, and I think it will serve as a model for years to come."

For more information about UCLA Community School, contact Georgia Lazo, Principal, by e-mail at gal1853@lausd.net.